St. Louis Blues coach Andy Murray launched into Wild enforcer Derek Boogaard when asked after Thursdays 5-1 Wild victory if Boogaard got into the Blues heads.
He never plays, Murray said. The guys got to be on the ice to have an effect and he has no effect on the game. He doesnt play. He just doesnt play. Boogaard wouldnt get into our heads. The guys that got into our heads are [Pavol] Demitra and [Marian] Gaborik.
I wish theyd play Boogaard more. If they would play him more, wed like that, and it would mean less time for
those other guys. Tell Derek Im a fan of his. I want Jacques [Lemaire] to play him more.
Told of Murrays comments, Boogaard said, I cant play? I dont affect the game? I mean, you know, thats his opinion, I guess. My coaches have other opinions. I mean, Im here. Thats his opinion. He can do whatever he wants with it. Hes just [angry] because he lost.
With the crowd on its feet moments after Gaborik and Demitra teamed to give the Wild a 4-1 lead, Boogaard manhandled Blues fighter D.J. King during a classic heavyweight bout.
Murray said, King was on the ice to play. I dont know if the fight was necessary.
Shocked at that comment, Boogaard said, It wasnt me who wanted to fight. It was his guy. He slashed me and cross-checked me before the puck was dropped.
Smith steps it up
Wyatt Smiths play has improved dramatically since the Wild acquired Dominic Moore on Feb. 27. Asked if its a coincidence, Smith said, At the deadline, they bring in another center and if I believe all the stuff that [the medias] written, weve played with three centers all year, Smith, 30, said. You try not to let it affect you, but you take it personally. You want to go out there and prove to the coaching staff or the media or yourself that you can play here, you belong here.
Since then, Ive been really focused on working hard.
Intensity wanted
Moore has been scratched four games in a row because Lemaire says he needs to work better.
Intensity is 80 percent, Lemaire said, and that 20 percent missing could be important. Like I told him, Youll have to impress me in practice. Show me in practices that youre there. I cant go through practice and ask, Was he on the ice? I didnt see him.
Etc.
Winger Adam Hall also was scratched, along with defenseman Petteri Nummelin.
A bottle of wine is on the line between Wild teammates Keith Carney and Mark Parrish tonight. Carneys alma mater, Maine, plays Parrishs alma mater, St. Cloud State, in the first round of the NCAA hockey tournament.
Im not going to terrorize him, Carney said. Im pretty confident Maines going to win. They should dominate, so Im not going to rub it in much.
Center Ondrej Fiala, the Wilds 2006 second-round pick who plays for Everett in the WHL, has undergone reconstructive knee surgery in the Czech Republic. Hes expected to be healthy by training camp.
Michael Russo • mrusso@startribune.com
wild/nhl
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